Brassiere



Nov. 17, 1959 H. M. PLEHN BRASSIERE Filed July 1, 1958 INVENTOR. BYHenry Plhn ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice Patented Nov. 17, 1959BRASSIERE Henry M. Plehn, New York, NY. Application July 1, 1958, SerialNo. 745,883 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-489) This invention relates to ladiesundergarments, and more particularly to such garments which are worn tosupport the bust, commonly called brassieres.

The purpose of modern brassieres is not merely that of an ordinaryundergarment which covers a particular portion of the body to protectouter garments as well as to protect the skin from irritation which mayresult from movement on the skin of the frequently rougher fabrics usedin outer garments. Additionally, their purpose is to act in molding andsupporting fashion to enhance the natural body contours. However, inachieving this latter purpose, creators of structural concepts inbrassieres find that brassieres which are suitable from a point of viewof giving a desired appearance, are not satisfactory from the point ofview of comfort. To consider a brassiere comfortable, the wearer thereofmust feel bodily freedom while wearing it. That is, she must be aslittle conscious as possible of restraints during natural movements ofthe body in the vicinity of the bust, whether such movements derive fromarm, shoulder or respiratory action.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide abrassiere which not only admirably serves the function of molding andsupporting the bust, but as well is exceedingly comfortable during wear.Its structure is such that the utmost freedom is permitted the wearerduring any of the normal movements affecting the upper portion of thebody. Lateral yielding is provided for, as well as a unique arrangementof components which permits great freedom for each breast. The aimsencompassed within this objective are achieved by taking advantage ofdifferent fabric components having varying stretch characteristics, andcombining them in a highly ingenious and novel manner.

Another object of this invention 'is to provide a brassiere which, whilehighly original in structural concept, still may be fabricated by knownbrassiere fabricating machinery and techniques, so that no additionalcapital outlay is required on the part of the manufacturer.

Still another object herein is to provide a brassiere which will behighly successful in meeting the requirements of the wearer as tosupport and comfort and will further satisfy the purchaser in being avery attractive garment. Moreover, the wearer will find that garmentsaccording to the present invention areno more difficult to launder andmaintain than brassieres not embodying my improved structure.

How these and many other objects are to be implemented will become clearthrough a consideration of the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a rear view of a first embodiment of a brassiere constructedin accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a section at 22 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a partial rear view of a second embodiment of brassiere builtaccording to my invention.

In the brassiere of Fig. 1 appear bust cups and 11 each having a topedge 12 coincident with the top edge of the brassiere and lower arcuateedges 13. Contiguous to such lower arcuate edges 13 throughout theirrespective extents, are arcuate bands 14 and 15. which are of highlystretchable fabric, the fabric of such arcuate bands 14 and 15 as seenin Fig. 1 being of open mesh construction commonly known as fish net. Byemploying such fish net fabric madefrom stretchable yarn, not only doesflexibility in the structure result from yielding of the fabric alongthe strands which comprise the fabric, but flexibility also resultsbecause of the ability of the open mesh fabric to collapse and distendentirely apart from any stretch characteristics in the constituentstrands thereof.

Adjacent the outer side of each bust cup are body encircling bands 16and 17 which consist of non-stretchable fabric. Such body encirclingbands 16 and 17 have edges 20 and 21 respectively which in each caseadjoin one of the arcuate bands 14 and 15 for a part thereof.

Body encircling bands 16 and 17 also have edges 22 and 23 respectivelywhich adjoin and are secured to stretchable fabric portions 24 and 25disposed beneath the respective bust cups 10 and 11. Such stretchablefabric portions 24 and 25 are horizontally stretchable only. Finally,there is a non-stretchable panel 26 in Fig. 1 disposed between the bustcups 10 and 11 adjoining arcuate bands 14 and 15 for a portion of eachthereof, and also having common edges 27 and 28 with stretchableportions 24 and 25. band- 14 about bust cup 10 is contiguous to edge 20of body encircling band 16, stretchable portion 24, and thenon-stretchable center panel 26. Similarly bust cup 11 has its lowerarcuate edge 13 in contiguity with arcuate band 15 which in turn isadjacent to edge 21 of body encircling band 17, stretchable portion 25,and the center non-stretchable panel 26. Bindings 29 and 30 reinforceand cover the edges at which the respective arcuate bands 14 and 15adjoin the three fabric components disposed thereabo-ut.

A portion only of a second embodiment of a brassiere constructed inaccordance with the present invention is shown in Fig. 3. The same indexnumerals as' were employed in connection with the first embodiment shownin Fig. 1 here designate bust cups 10 and 11, top edges 12 thereof,lower arcuate edges 13, arcuate bands 14 and 15, and body encirclingbands 16 and 17. In Fig. 3, there is a central non-stretchable panel 31disposed between the bust cups 10 and 11 contiguous to arcuate bands 14and 15. Beneath such panel 31 there is a horizontally stretchable insert32 which has a portion 33 extending beneath bust cup 10 and an edge 34joined to body encircling band 16. Similarly there is a portion 35 ofinsert 32 disposed beneath bust cup 11 which portion 35 is joined tobody encircling band 17 at edge 36.

From a study of the two embodiments of my invention described above, itwill be apparent that a limited lateral yield is permitted in each case,while greater freedom and flexibility for the individual breasts topermit support despite multi-directional stresses, is provided.

I claim:

1. In a brassiere having a pair of bust cups provided with lower arcuateedges, arcuate bands of stretchable fabric contiguous to said lowerarcuate edges and in the same plane therewith to constitute a unitarybreast enveloping structure with said bust cups, and horizontallystretchable fabric portions beneath said bust cups and contiguous tosaid arcuate bands, the fabric in said arcuate bands being more freelystretchable than the fabric in said horizontally stretchable fabricportions or the fabric in said bust cups, whereby the different fabriccomponents of each such unitary breast enveloping structure It will thusbe seen that arcuate arcuate bands are of open mesh stretchable fabricand said horizontally stretchable fabric portions are of close meshfabric.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS moldsand supports the bust with freedom of any bodily movement of the wearer.

2. A brassiere as claimed in claim 1 wherein said arcuate bands are ofopen mesh stretchable fabric.

3 A brassicre as claimed in claim 1 wherein said 5 horizontallystretchable fabric portions are of close mesh fabric. 2,180,391 BlairNov. 21, 1939 4. A brassiere as claimed in claim 1 wherein said2,835,255 Be ker May 20, 1958

